My brain hurts!! "Why?" you ask. Before I answer that question, let me just repeat that I am grateful to have a job.....really! Having said that, my job may just give me migraines this year. I'm teaching reading again this year, without any set curriculum, so I have to come up with my own. Well, I did that last year and I'm teaching the same level again so I'm not too stressed. It's phonics and early reading skills....I have a few different programs to draw from and a basic plan that I tweek as I need to as I go along. More work than having a curriculum all laid out for you with lesson plans and all.....but doable.
The reason for the brain pain is that I am also teaching math this year. Should be easy right?...Just go through the math book, teach the lessons in order, and supplement where needed. No such luck!! There IS a math program to use...it consists of about 7 different binders...one for counting, one for addition, one for subtraction, etc. It's a program I haven't used before. I asked in what order the binders should be taught. I was told that there isn't any particular order, that I should move around from binder to binder however I like.
HOWEVER I LIKE????!!! Seriously??!!
I know there has to be some logical order to how the skills should be taught...some spiraling sequence which builds one skill upon another...but I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS!! I haven't taught first grade math before!!!! I've been searching the interenet for some general outline that I can use, but the few outlines I've found are a bit toooo general!! I'm starting to feel a sharp stabbing pain behind my left eye!!
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wow! that's rough. i can't imagine not having a plan to follow. hang in there!
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to our district math modules that we use as guidelines for teaching math. It includes ideas for games and order of teaching. I know you don't have all the materials but it will give you some possible ideas or guidelines. If I am capable I can sneak you an extra book if we have them and then it would make even more sense with the modules. Give the link a try and I can totally xerox some things for you.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sandi.net/depts/math/01.html